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Tandems and toe clips

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Tandems and toe clips

Old 11-14-20, 02:58 AM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by Carbonfiberboy
...When a team is synced up, neither seat will really feel the pedaling of the other because both team members operate the pedals just the same. Not telepathy, just experience with the other person's mentality, finishing each other's sentences and all that.
This is exactly what it's like for us. When I pedal, she pedals; when I stop, she stops. I don't know how it works, but it does. It's almost like magic. (no, it's not due to the magic of the timing chain) And yes, she puts out quite a bit of power. I've long since given up trying to explain to non-tandem riders what "non-verbal communication" really means, I just know that I love the feeling of flying down the road with her going like mad.

As for SPDs, I'll probably get hammered for this ... but if I recall correctly we started using clipless SPDs on the tandem before using them on our single bikes, and added them to our single bikes sometime later. (We're road riders). I don't recall exactly, but we must have used toe clips for a while when we first got our tandem in '95, but I honestly can't really remember a time when we didn't use SPDs. i have the release tension set pretty low, mainly because there's no real reason to set it higher, and as far as I can recall I've never dropped my stoker due to a failure to unclip in time.

Earlier this year, she went to a platform pedal for a while in order to help solve a possible knee problem (she has an artificial knee), but hated it so much that she went right back to the SPD. The problem was that, with the varying cadence, she had trouble keeping her foot on the platform. We're one of those teams where the stoker stays clipped in all the time, except for potty breaks. Works for us.
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Old 11-14-20, 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by PaulGrun
This is exactly what it's like for us. When I pedal, she pedals; when I stop, she stops. I don't know how it works, but it does. It's almost like magic. (no, it's not due to the magic of the timing chain) And yes, she puts out quite a bit of power. I've long since given up trying to explain to non-tandem riders what "non-verbal communication" really means, I just know that I love the feeling of flying down the road with her going like mad.

As for SPDs, I'll probably get hammered for this ... but if I recall correctly we started using clipless SPDs on the tandem before using them on our single bikes, and added them to our single bikes sometime later. (We're road riders). I don't recall exactly, but we must have used toe clips for a while when we first got our tandem in '95, but I honestly can't really remember a time when we didn't use SPDs. i have the release tension set pretty low, mainly because there's no real reason to set it higher, and as far as I can recall I've never dropped my stoker due to a failure to unclip in time.

Earlier this year, she went to a platform pedal for a while in order to help solve a possible knee problem (she has an artificial knee), but hated it so much that she went right back to the SPD. The problem was that, with the varying cadence, she had trouble keeping her foot on the platform. We're one of those teams where the stoker stays clipped in all the time, except for potty breaks. Works for us.
Wonderful story. We tell couples who are considering tandeming that it's like dancing or . . . You're touching each other the whole time. We also tell them that it's a relationship accelerator. Wherever you're going as a couple, you'll get there faster on a tandem. Being attached to your pedals is part of that intimacy. We upgraded our CoMo to belt drive a few years ago. The belt also helps that feeling because there's no slack like in a chain. We also have our pedals set for low release tension.
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Old 11-14-20, 10:44 PM
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You might also consider the multi-release spd cleat at first. If you set the tension on the pedals low, even in a panic your foot will pretty much come out. Shimano makes two types of cleats, one will only release with you foot flat on the pedal (black in color), the other, multi-release, you can rotate at almost any angle and come out.
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Old 11-14-20, 10:44 PM
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You might also consider the multi-release spd cleat at first. If you set the tension on the pedals low, even in a panic your foot will pretty much come out. Shimano makes two types of cleats, one will only release with you foot flat on the pedal (black in color), the other, multi-release, you can rotate at almost any angle and come out.
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Old 11-16-20, 01:22 AM
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Originally Posted by PaulGrun
Earlier this year, she went to a platform pedal for a while in order to help solve a possible knee problem (she has an artificial knee), but hated it so much that she went right back to the SPD. The problem was that, with the varying cadence, she had trouble keeping her foot on the platform. We're one of those teams where the stoker stays clipped in all the time, except for potty breaks. Works for us.
One pedal she may wish to consider is Speedplay Frog. Recessed cleats and no rotation resistance. I have so-so knees and I find Speedplay Frogs a blessing. My wife has better and very flexible knees and she prefers regular SPD cleats as she finds out she pops out of the Speedplay pedals too easily while she is pedalling.

The main downside of Speedplay pedals for me is that the cleats wear out fairly quickly. I have to replace my Speedplay cleats every year.
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Old 11-17-20, 02:16 AM
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Thanks for this thought. In the case of my stoker, it has more to do with the fore-aft placement of her feet relative to each other than it does with horizontal rotation. Odd, I know, but for her, she's better off placing one foot slightly further forward on the pedal than the other. Long story short, her range of rotational flexion on one of her knees is less (maybe a lot less) than it would be on a healthy knee which makes it hard for her to 'pedal in a circle'.
The other consideration is that flat platform pedals help resist the urge to pull up, as is normal with clipless pedals. Again, I can't give you the specific reasoning behind it, but it's what our physical therapist/bike fitter suggested as ways to make things a little more comfortable for her. We are also running shorter cranks for her (165s, if i recall correctly).
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Old 12-26-20, 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by 79pmooney
I seem to recall seeing toe-clipped tandems with bungie cord between the front of the stoker's toe-clip and the back of the captain 's pedal. That always seemed to me pretty ingenious.

I/m not a tandem rider. Bought one before our marriage and it was a disaster. 20 miles, 2 crashes. (The marriage didn't survive either.) But I've now ridden the week long Cycle Oregon on my "half tandem", a fix gear. And when I encounter tandems, share that concept with stokers. They get it!. My rider plus rig is cockpit (front wheel, handlebars, controls steered by (waist up) the captain who picks the route, the gear (and refuses to either coast or change gears except when stopped!). The other half is the stoker (waist down), rear wheel and pedals driven by the timing chain (rear wheel, not captain but the effect is no different). So I am in the stoker's corner. No gear choice, not coast choice, (Uphill and downhill are rather different and there are only some tandems I can have the conversation with. The rest are just too fast.)

Pedal-wise, my issues are a little different. Downhill on the fix gear, I NEVER want to pull a foot off the pedal. EVER. Getting a Achilles slammed by a 200 RPM pedal would be life changing and not in a good way. (I would heal far faster from the ensuing 40 mph crash.) I ride toe-clips, quality leather straps pulled tight. Aluminum slotted cleats like we raced half a century ago.

I admire you all. I know I am too clumsy to be a good captain and have never looked for a ride as stoker. Good teams are a pleasure to watch (and every once in a while, I've been treated to some tows that were memorable).

Ben
My wife and I have been riding tandems with toe clips and straps since 87 or so....all our bikes use toe clips and straps as we have never felt need for clipless pedals. We first used the bungee trick back in the day as when we start off, we do so with both of us with a left foot on the ground and then pedaling forward together and hopping on...the bungee holds the pedal upright and you just slide your left foot in to the clip. At some point we pulled the bungees and just started flipping the pedal up with foot as when on a single but that never worked as fast as the old bungee method. A few months back I found my grail, a Ritchey Palo Alto Tandem...we are using the bungee cord method on that currently...still works like a charm. I first added the bungee cords here as I was working on the bike and riding solo when adjusting derailleurs, brakes, etc...felt good to use the bungee method when we were both on bike so we left them.
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